High Dyke, Lincolnshire
Encyclopedia
High Dyke is a minor road following a length of Roman Road
in the English county of Lincolnshire
, between Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth
and Ancaster
. It is also the name of a small settlement on that road, near to Great Ponton
, near to the mouth of Stoke Tunnel on the Great Northern
main line. High Dyke is also a name for the general area between Easton and Great Ponton.
in 2008 has included construction of a grade-separated road crossing in place of the disused railway bridge that was part of the High Dyke branch, a mineral railway used to export iron ore between 1916 and 1973.
. At Easton Farm, it meets the line of Ermine Street
from the south, and runs north-south. There is a right turn for Burton Coggles
to the right, and the 18-acre Easton Cold Store, built in the late 1960s, and run by Norbert Dentressangle
. When built, and throughout the 1970s it was thought to be the largest cold store
in Europe. To the left is a turn for Easton
and the Easton Walled Gardens, where the road is at 119 metres high. Further north, past the cold store, the width of the road narrows. The section of road from the A1 was widened and straightened in 1969 when the cold store was built.
There is a left turn for Stoke Rochford
. It passes Highdyke Farm to the right, and the road descends and is crossed by a 400kV pylon line that runs parallel to the East Coast Main Line
. At Great Ponton
there is a railway bridge for the ECML. There is a left turn before the bridge for Great Ponton, and a right turn after the bridge for Bassingthorpe
, near Highdike Cottages. The former High Dyke branch railway ran paralley to the High Dyke from the A1, and joined the East Coast Main Line here. There is a right turn for Boothby Pagnell
and a left turn for Great Ponton
At Little Ponton and Stroxton it passes Ponton Park Wood to the left where the road reaches 118 metres high, and passes through Woodnook, where there is a left turn for Little Ponton
. From here to almost Ancaster, the road becomes the boundary of several parishes starting with Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without to the left and Old Somerby
to the right. On Spittlegate Heath there is a roundabout where the road briefly becomes the A52. To the west is Grantham
(A52), and to the right is Old Somerby
(B1176). At Cold Harbour, the A52 deviates to the right, and the High Dyke continues ahead as the B6403. Along an avenue of trees the road becomes the parish boundary of Harrowby Without, and Welby
, to the east. At this point the road reaches it highest point of 125 metres, meeting Harrowby Lane to the right. There is a left turn for Londonthorpe
, and the road gently descends to a right turn for Welby at Pyewipe Cottages.
At Welby Pastures the road becomes the boundary between Syston
, to the west, and Welby. The road gently descends and rises up to a left turn for Heath Lane named after Barkston
Heath. At this point the road becomes the boundary between South Kesteven
and Barkston, to the west, and North Kesteven
and Wilsford
, to the east. To the left is RAF Barkston Heath
. There is a right turn for Wilsford, and the road is the boundary between Ancaster and South Kesteven, to the east, and with North Kesteven. At Duke's Covert it meets King Street
from Bourne
, and the road descends into Ancaster
. It crosses the A153 at traffic lights, and passes under the Poacher Line at Ancaster railway station
. Ancaster Roman Town
, the main Roman town on the High Dyke, is in the south-east of the village. The road climbs out of Ancaster, becoming the South Kesteven and North Kesteven boundary all the way to the A17, with South Rauceby
to the east. There is a dip in the road known as The Hollow.
At Sudbrook House it becomes the boundary between Ancaster and North Rauceby
, where the road is more north-south aligned, north of Ancaster. There is a right turn for North Rauceby. The Viking Way
joins from the east, and follows the road, where the boundary is between Normanton
to the west, and North Rauceby. The road levels out at around a height of 85 metres, and passes Ermine Street Farm to the right. There is a staggered junction and the B6403 finishes at the T-junction at Byard's Leap
with the A17.
Roman roads in Britain
Roman roads, together with Roman aqueducts and the vast standing Roman army , constituted the three most impressive features of the Roman Empire. In Britain, as in other provinces, the Romans constructed a comprehensive network of paved trunk roads Roman roads, together with Roman aqueducts and the...
in the English county of Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, between Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth
Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth
Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth is a hamlet in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is probably best known as the birthplace of Sir Isaac Newton....
and Ancaster
Ancaster, Lincolnshire
Ancaster is a village in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, on the site of the Roman town of "Causennae"Ancaster Hall at The University of Nottingham is named after the parish and the, now extinct, title of the Earl of Ancaster....
. It is also the name of a small settlement on that road, near to Great Ponton
Great Ponton
Great Ponton is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. In the 2001 census, the population of the village was 100% white ethnic origin, and 87% Christian.-Geography:...
, near to the mouth of Stoke Tunnel on the Great Northern
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
main line. High Dyke is also a name for the general area between Easton and Great Ponton.
Junctions
Recent rebuilding of the A1 road junction at Woolsthorpe-by-ColsterworthWoolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth
Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth is a hamlet in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is probably best known as the birthplace of Sir Isaac Newton....
in 2008 has included construction of a grade-separated road crossing in place of the disused railway bridge that was part of the High Dyke branch, a mineral railway used to export iron ore between 1916 and 1973.
Route
The route begins at the grade-separated junction at ColsterworthColsterworth
Colsterworth is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. The village, together with the hamlet of Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, had a population of 1,508 according to the 2001 census. It lies half a mile to the west of the A1, seven miles south of Grantham...
. At Easton Farm, it meets the line of Ermine Street
Ermine Street
Ermine Street is the name of a major Roman road in England that ran from London to Lincoln and York . The Old English name was 'Earninga Straete' , named after a tribe called the Earningas, who inhabited a district later known as Armingford Hundred, around Arrington, Cambridgeshire and Royston,...
from the south, and runs north-south. There is a right turn for Burton Coggles
Burton Coggles
Burton Coggles is a small village and civil parish located south of Grantham in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England...
to the right, and the 18-acre Easton Cold Store, built in the late 1960s, and run by Norbert Dentressangle
Norbert Dentressangle
Norbert Dentressangle is a major European transport, logistics, and freight forwarding company. It was founded in London in 1979, initially concentrating on cross-channel transport between France and the United Kingdom....
. When built, and throughout the 1970s it was thought to be the largest cold store
Refrigeration
Refrigeration is a process in which work is done to move heat from one location to another. This work is traditionally done by mechanical work, but can also be done by magnetism, laser or other means...
in Europe. To the left is a turn for Easton
Easton, Lincolnshire
Easton is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies just off the A1, north of Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth and Colsterworth.-Geography:...
and the Easton Walled Gardens, where the road is at 119 metres high. Further north, past the cold store, the width of the road narrows. The section of road from the A1 was widened and straightened in 1969 when the cold store was built.
There is a left turn for Stoke Rochford
Stoke Rochford
Stoke Rochford is a small village near Grantham in Lincolnshire.-Geography:For administration purposes, the parish is shared with Easton, which also has a country estate of its own. Stoke Rochford's church is in the parish of Easton, and so is the post office. The southern boundary of the parish...
. It passes Highdyke Farm to the right, and the road descends and is crossed by a 400kV pylon line that runs parallel to the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
. At Great Ponton
Great Ponton
Great Ponton is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. In the 2001 census, the population of the village was 100% white ethnic origin, and 87% Christian.-Geography:...
there is a railway bridge for the ECML. There is a left turn before the bridge for Great Ponton, and a right turn after the bridge for Bassingthorpe
Bassingthorpe
Bassingthorpe is a tiny village in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies in the Bitchfield and Bassingthorpe civil parish, south of Grantham, on a C class road between the B6403 to the west and the B1176 to the east. It contains 4 houses and a Grade II listed church...
, near Highdike Cottages. The former High Dyke branch railway ran paralley to the High Dyke from the A1, and joined the East Coast Main Line here. There is a right turn for Boothby Pagnell
Boothby Pagnell
Boothby Pagnell is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England.-Parish:The local authority, and the Ordnance Survey, spell the village Boothby Pagnell. The Diocese of Lincoln spells the PCC as Boothby Pagnall. The ecclesiastical parish is part of The North...
and a left turn for Great Ponton
Great Ponton
Great Ponton is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. In the 2001 census, the population of the village was 100% white ethnic origin, and 87% Christian.-Geography:...
At Little Ponton and Stroxton it passes Ponton Park Wood to the left where the road reaches 118 metres high, and passes through Woodnook, where there is a left turn for Little Ponton
Little Ponton
Little Ponton is a small village just south of Grantham in South Kesteven. Lincolnshire.-Geography:It is part of the civil parish of Little Ponton and Stroxton. It is situated just off the B1174 ....
. From here to almost Ancaster, the road becomes the boundary of several parishes starting with Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without to the left and Old Somerby
Old Somerby
Old Somerby is situated three miles east of the town of Grantham in southern Lincolnshire in South Kesteven. It is situated on the B1176 approximately 1 mile from its junction with the A52 and B6403 and 250 metres from the East Coast Main Line....
to the right. On Spittlegate Heath there is a roundabout where the road briefly becomes the A52. To the west is Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
(A52), and to the right is Old Somerby
Old Somerby
Old Somerby is situated three miles east of the town of Grantham in southern Lincolnshire in South Kesteven. It is situated on the B1176 approximately 1 mile from its junction with the A52 and B6403 and 250 metres from the East Coast Main Line....
(B1176). At Cold Harbour, the A52 deviates to the right, and the High Dyke continues ahead as the B6403. Along an avenue of trees the road becomes the parish boundary of Harrowby Without, and Welby
Welby, Lincolnshire
Welby is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies north-east of Grantham, and east of the old Roman Road Ermine Street. Neighbouring villages are Aisby, Oasby, and Heydour. The village has approximately 75 houses.Welby Grade I listed Anglican...
, to the east. At this point the road reaches it highest point of 125 metres, meeting Harrowby Lane to the right. There is a left turn for Londonthorpe
Londonthorpe
Londonthorpe is a satellite village of Grantham, in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. The village is in the civil parish of Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without...
, and the road gently descends to a right turn for Welby at Pyewipe Cottages.
At Welby Pastures the road becomes the boundary between Syston
Syston, Lincolnshire
Syston is a small hamlet and civil parish located 3 miles north of Grantham on the A607 road which runs to the county town of Lincoln. Syston is linked onto the larger village of Barkston....
, to the west, and Welby. The road gently descends and rises up to a left turn for Heath Lane named after Barkston
Barkston
Barkston is a small village and civil parish lying on the A607 three miles north of Grantham in Lincolnshire, England, just south of the junction with the A153 .-Geography:...
Heath. At this point the road becomes the boundary between South Kesteven
South Kesteven
South Kesteven is a local government district in Lincolnshire, England, forming part of the traditional Kesteven division of the county. It covers Grantham, Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping.-History:...
and Barkston, to the west, and North Kesteven
North Kesteven
North Kesteven is a local government district in the East Midlands. Just over north of London, it is east of Nottingham and south of Lincoln. North Kesteven is one of seven districts in Lincolnshire, England and is in the centre of the County...
and Wilsford
Wilsford, Lincolnshire
Wilsford is a hamlet and civil parish within the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:It is five miles west-southwest of Sleaford, and nine miles northeast of Grantham, and has a total resident population of 392.Located off Ermine Street, the parish of Ancaster...
, to the east. To the left is RAF Barkston Heath
RAF Barkston Heath
RAF Barkston Heath is a Royal Air Force station near Grantham, Lincolnshire.RAF Barkston Heath is the home of the Defence Elementary Flying Training School which, for a period between approximately 1995-2010 operated the Slingsby T67M260 Firefly two seat trainer. The school now operates the Grob...
. There is a right turn for Wilsford, and the road is the boundary between Ancaster and South Kesteven, to the east, and with North Kesteven. At Duke's Covert it meets King Street
King Street (Roman road)
King Street is the name of a modern road on the line of a Roman road |Durobrivae]]. The whole is I.D. Margary's Roman road number 26. -The Roman road's route:Archaeological work has revealed more of its length than is in use nowadays...
from Bourne
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Bourne is a market town and civil parish on the western edge of the Fens, in the District of South Kesteven in southern Lincolnshire, England.-The town:...
, and the road descends into Ancaster
Ancaster, Lincolnshire
Ancaster is a village in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, on the site of the Roman town of "Causennae"Ancaster Hall at The University of Nottingham is named after the parish and the, now extinct, title of the Earl of Ancaster....
. It crosses the A153 at traffic lights, and passes under the Poacher Line at Ancaster railway station
Ancaster railway station
Ancaster railway station serves the village of Ancaster in Lincolnshire, England. The station is north of Grantham on the Nottingham to Skegness Line.-History:...
. Ancaster Roman Town
Ancaster Roman Town
Ancaster Roman Town was a small town in the Roman province of Britannia. Its name in Latin is unknown, although it is sometimes identified with Causennis . Today it is known as Ancaster, located in the English county of Lincolnshire.-Town development:The Romans built a fort over an Iron Age...
, the main Roman town on the High Dyke, is in the south-east of the village. The road climbs out of Ancaster, becoming the South Kesteven and North Kesteven boundary all the way to the A17, with South Rauceby
South Rauceby
South Rauceby is a small village and civil parish about 3 miles North West of Sleaford in Lincolnshire, England. It has a population of around 250 people. It has a pub/restaurant called The Bustard Inn and is served by the Rauceby railway station. It also has a daily bus service run by Centrebus...
to the east. There is a dip in the road known as The Hollow.
At Sudbrook House it becomes the boundary between Ancaster and North Rauceby
North Rauceby
North Rauceby is a small village of around 150 residents situated 4 miles north-west of Sleaford in Lincolnshire.The village is home to Rauceby Primary School which serves this village and the village of South Rauceby although many children travel from the surrounding area to attend this school as...
, where the road is more north-south aligned, north of Ancaster. There is a right turn for North Rauceby. The Viking Way
Viking Way
The Viking Way is a long distance footpath in England running between the Humber Bridge in North Lincolnshire and Oakham in Rutland. The Countryside Commission recognised the significance of the Viking Way as a high quality long distance walk linking other major routes in Eastern England, these...
joins from the east, and follows the road, where the boundary is between Normanton
Normanton, Lincolnshire
Normanton, sometimes called Normanton on Cliffe, is a village and civil parish on the A607 about north of the town of Grantham and south of the city of Lincoln, in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England....
to the west, and North Rauceby. The road levels out at around a height of 85 metres, and passes Ermine Street Farm to the right. There is a staggered junction and the B6403 finishes at the T-junction at Byard's Leap
Byards Leap
Byard's Leap is a hamlet in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, and lies 3 miles west of Cranwell. It is part of the civil parish of Cranwell and Byard's Leap. The hamlet is associated with various legends....
with the A17.